A shaft tomb or shaft grave is a type of deep rectangular burial structure, similar in shape to the much shallower cist grave, containing a floor of pebbles, walls of rubble masonry, and a roof constructed of wooden planks.[1]
In the Neolithic period Epirus was populated by seafarers along the coast and by shepherds and hunters from the southwestern Balkans who brought with them the Proto-Greek language. These people buried their leaders in large mounds containing shaft graves. Similar burial chambers were subsequently used by the Mycenaean civilization, suggesting that the founders of Mycenae may have come from Epirus and central Albania. Epirus itself remained culturally backward during this time, but Mycenaean remains have been found at two religious shrines of great antiquity in the region: the Oracle of the Dead on the Acheron River, familiar to the heroes of Homer's Odyssey, and the Oracle of Zeus at Dodona, to whom Achilles prayed in the Iliad.[3]
Mycenaean Greece
Mycenaean shaft graves originated and evolved from rudimentary Middle Helladic cists, tumuli, and tholos tombs with features derived from Early Bronze Age traditions developed locally in mainland Bronze Age Greece 16th century BCE.[4]Middle Helladic burials would ultimately serve as the basis for the royal Shaft Graves containing a variety of grave goods, which signified the elevation of a native Greek-speaking royal dynasty whose economic power depended on long-distance sea trade.[5]
The depth of Mycenaean shaft tombs would range from 1.0 m to 4.0 m with a mound constructed for each grave and stelae erected.[6] Archaeological examples include Grave Circle A and Grave Circle B.
Bronze Age China
Shaft graves were utilized by elites from the Shang dynasty (or Yin dynasty) during the Bronze Age 1200 BCE of northern China.[2]
Mesoamerican Western Mexico
The Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition or shaft tomb culture refers to a set of interlocked cultural traits found in the present day western Mexican states of Jalisco, Nayarit, and, to a lesser extent, Colima to its south, roughly dating to the period between 300 BCE and 400 CE. An example is the La Campana archaeological site of the Capacha and subsequent cultures.
Anthony, David W. (2007). The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN978-0-691-05887-0.
Dickinson, Oliver (December 1999). "Invasion, Migration and the Shaft Graves". Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies. 43 (1): 97–107. doi:10.1111/j.2041-5370.1999.tb00480.x.
Dickinson, Oliver (1977). The Origins of Mycenaean Civilization. Götenberg: Paul Aströms Förlag.
Kipfer, Barbara Ann (2000), Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology, New York: Springer, ISBN978-0-306-46158-3
Komita, Nobuo (1982). "The Grave Circles at Mycenae and the Early Indo-Europeans" (PDF). Research Reports of Ikutoku Technical University (A-7): 59–70.[permanent dead link]
Pedley, John Griffiths (2011). Greek Art and Archaeology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN978-0-20-500133-0.
External links
Horejs, Barbara; Pavúk, Peter, eds. (2007). "The Aegeo-Balkan Prehistory Project". The Aegeo-Balkan Prehistory Team.
Rutter, Jeremy B. . Hanover, NH: Dartmouth College. Archived from the original on 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2013-11-16.
March 03, 2023
shaft, tomb, shaft, tomb, shaft, grave, type, deep, rectangular, burial, structure, similar, shape, much, shallower, cist, grave, containing, floor, pebbles, walls, rubble, masonry, roof, constructed, wooden, planks, mycenaean, shaft, tombs, grave, circle, myc. A shaft tomb or shaft grave is a type of deep rectangular burial structure similar in shape to the much shallower cist grave containing a floor of pebbles walls of rubble masonry and a roof constructed of wooden planks 1 Mycenaean shaft tombs at Grave Circle A Mycenae 16th century BCE in Argolis Greece the resting place of the Mycenaean ruling families The burial pit shaft tomb of the Tomb of Lady Fu Hao 1200 BCE Shang dynasty the wife and queen of Chinese general Fu Hao and King Wu Ding in Anyang Henan Province China A shaft tomb exhibit of the Western Mexico shaft tomb culture 300 BCE and 400 CE at the Museo Nacional de Antropologia e Historia Mexico Contents 1 Practice 1 1 Mycenaean Greece 1 2 Bronze Age China 1 3 Mesoamerican Western Mexico 2 See also 3 References 3 1 Citations 3 2 Sources 4 External linksPractice EditThe practice of digging shaft tombs was a widespread phenomenon with prominent examples found in Mycenaean Greece in Bronze Age China and in Mesoamerican Western Mexico 2 In the Neolithic period Epirus was populated by seafarers along the coast and by shepherds and hunters from the southwestern Balkans who brought with them the Proto Greek language These people buried their leaders in large mounds containing shaft graves Similar burial chambers were subsequently used by the Mycenaean civilization suggesting that the founders of Mycenae may have come from Epirus and central Albania Epirus itself remained culturally backward during this time but Mycenaean remains have been found at two religious shrines of great antiquity in the region the Oracle of the Dead on the Acheron River familiar to the heroes of Homer s Odyssey and the Oracle of Zeus at Dodona to whom Achilles prayed in the Iliad 3 Mycenaean Greece Edit Mycenaean shaft graves originated and evolved from rudimentary Middle Helladic cists tumuli and tholos tombs with features derived from Early Bronze Age traditions developed locally in mainland Bronze Age Greece 16th century BCE 4 Middle Helladic burials would ultimately serve as the basis for the royal Shaft Graves containing a variety of grave goods which signified the elevation of a native Greek speaking royal dynasty whose economic power depended on long distance sea trade 5 The depth of Mycenaean shaft tombs would range from 1 0 m to 4 0 m with a mound constructed for each grave and stelae erected 6 Archaeological examples include Grave Circle A and Grave Circle B Bronze Age China Edit Shaft graves were utilized by elites from the Shang dynasty or Yin dynasty during the Bronze Age 1200 BCE of northern China 2 Mesoamerican Western Mexico Edit The Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition or shaft tomb culture refers to a set of interlocked cultural traits found in the present day western Mexican states of Jalisco Nayarit and to a lesser extent Colima to its south roughly dating to the period between 300 BCE and 400 CE An example is the La Campana archaeological site of the Capacha and subsequent cultures See also EditGrave Circle A Mycenae Grave Circle B Mycenae Grave field Ixtlan del Rio archaeological site Shaft and chamber tomb Western Mexico shaft tomb traditionReferences EditCitations Edit Pedley 2011 p 86 a b Kipfer 2000 shaft grave p 508 Epirus region Greece and Albania Britannica Dickinson 1999 pp 103 106 107 Dickinson 1977 pp 53 107 Dickinson 1999 pp 97 107 Anthony 2007 p 48 Komita 1982 pp 59 60 Sources Edit Anthony David W 2007 The Horse the Wheel and Language How Bronze Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World Princeton New Jersey Princeton University Press ISBN 978 0 691 05887 0 Dickinson Oliver December 1999 Invasion Migration and the Shaft Graves Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies 43 1 97 107 doi 10 1111 j 2041 5370 1999 tb00480 x Dickinson Oliver 1977 The Origins of Mycenaean Civilization Gotenberg Paul Astroms Forlag Kipfer Barbara Ann 2000 Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology New York Springer ISBN 978 0 306 46158 3 Komita Nobuo 1982 The Grave Circles at Mycenae and the Early Indo Europeans PDF Research Reports of Ikutoku Technical University A 7 59 70 permanent dead link Pedley John Griffiths 2011 Greek Art and Archaeology Upper Saddle River NJ Prentice Hall ISBN 978 0 20 500133 0 External links EditHorejs Barbara Pavuk Peter eds 2007 The Aegeo Balkan Prehistory Project The Aegeo Balkan Prehistory Team Rutter Jeremy B Prehistoric Archeology of the Aegean Hanover NH Dartmouth College Archived from the original on 2009 01 01 Retrieved 2013 11 16 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shaft tomb amp oldid 1137462934, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
